Head Coach: Norv Turner
Offensive Coordinator: Clarence Shelmon
Defensive Coordinator: Ron Rivera
Special Teams Coordinator: Steve Crosby
Owner: Alex Spanos
Offensive Starters (Projected)
QB: Philip Rivers
HB: Ryan Mathews
FB: Jacob Hester
WR: Malcom Floyd
WR: Legedu Naanee
LT: Brandyn Dombrowski
LG: Kris Dielman
C: Nick Hardwick
RG: Louis Vasquez
RT: Jeromey Clary
TE: Antonio Gates
Defensive Starters (Projected)
DE: Jacques Cesaire
DE: Luis Castillo
DT: Antonio Garay
LB: Shaun Phillips
LB: Stephen Cooper
LB: Kevin Burnett
LB: Shawn Merriman
CB: Quentin Jammer
CB: Antoine Cason
FS: Eric Weddle
SS: Shawn Gregory
Special Teams
K: Nate Kaeding
P: Mike Scifres
Schedule:
@ Kansas City
Jacksonville
@ Seattle
Arizona
@ Oakland
@ St. Louis
New England
Tennessee
@ Houston
BYE
Denver
@ Indianapolis
Oakland
Kansas City
San Francisco
@ Cincinnati
@ Denver
Rookies to Watch:
Ryan Mathews is going to be the starting running back and is expected to be a main piece of the Chargers offense. The Chargers have been more of passing team recently, but Mathews is in a good situation and will be leaned on pretty heavily this year.
Season Expectations:
The biggest storyline surrounding this team has been the holdouts. Shawne Merriman held out for an assurance he wouldn’t be traded, Marcus McNeill is still holding out for a new contract and Vincent Jackson is holding out for a new contract. So there has been a lot of negative energy surrounding the team this offseason and they have an air of dysfunction around them. (At least that’s the feeling I get from half the country away.) The offense could still be ok simply because Phillip Rivers is one of the best QBs in the league and he can make borderline receivers look good. Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee both have good size and speed and can work in the offense, and of course Antonio Gates is still a force from the tight end position. So the passing game shouldn’t take a huge step backwards this season. They were 12th in pass yards during the preseason and 18th in rushing. The rushing game is putting a lot of faith in rookie Ryan Mathews which could backfire on the team. The offensive line needs to step up to open some holes for Mathews and that could be a problem without All-Pro Marcus McNeill.
The defense is going to have to retool the front line without All-Pro Jamal Williams. Antonio Garay will be one of the guys trying to fill that void on the inside. Whoever fills in only needs to suck up blockers to keep the linebackers free to make plays. The linebackers still have a lot of talent. Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman have a ton of talent, Merriman has struggled over the last few years but can still put up big numbers with the right situation. The secondary has a good mix of experience and young talent and should continue to be a solid unit if the front 7 can get pressure on the QB. I think the defense will have to carry the team this season and being as they do play in the AFC West, they’ve got a chance to be just decent and still make the playoffs.
